Baxter - BT785 B39 1657

1[54 Direthonsforgetting andkeeping given before they believe : and therefore this faith is not a believing that they areforgiven, but a be- lieving on Chrdt for forgiveneit Elfe men muff believe an Unrtuth, to make it become True by their believing it. 2. But now 'Milking, as it is oppofed to the Knowledge of our Remiflion and Juftification, in thofe that are Juftified is a fin : (For it can be no fin for an unjuftified perfon to know that he is un- jufti6ed) But then, I pray you mark, how far it is a fin in the Godly, and what manner of fin it is. z. It is a fin, as it is,part of our natural ignorance and original Depravednefs of our Underftandings, or a fruit hereof, and of our ftrangenefs to our own hearts, and of their deep Deceitfulnefs, Con- fufion, Mutability or Negligence. 2. And further, as all thefe are increafedby longcam in finning, and fo the difcerning of our ffates is become more difficult,it is yet a greater fin. 3. It is a fin as it is the fruit of any particular fin by which we have ob- fcuredour own graces, and provoked 'God to hide his face from us. And fo all ignorance of any Truth which we ought know, is a fin, fo the igno- rance of own Regeneration and fincerity is a fin, becaufe weought toknow it. But this is fo far from being the great condemning fin of unbelief which Chritt threatneth in his New Law, that it is none of the greaten or molt hainous fort of fins, but the in- firmity in fome meafure ofevery Chriftian. ,And let me further acquaint you with this diffe- rence between thefe Doubting!, and your Fears and .Sorrows that follow thereupon.Though the Doubt- ing it felfbe your fin, yet I fuppofe that the Fears and

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